Game apparatus.



No. aasifis; PATENTED JULY 2. 19.07.

J. J. MYERL GAME APPARATUS. APPLIOATION rILnn 00121, 1906.

W: w I Y @vwantoz I W A J02]? J7i@er f 351 abhozum ms NORRIS PETERS co WASHINDTON. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. MYER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. MYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, borough of Manhattan, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved game apparatus by which words or numbers, or combinations of words, and letters, words, figures or numerals, or pictures of persons, places or things, may be selected by the toss of a ball, and to this end I provide a cup and ball, and upon the surface of the ball I apply letters, numerals, or other symbols whereby those that are exposed to view above the cup may be selected for the production of words, phrases, numbers, or combinations thereof in playing a game. The ball may be tossed from and caught in the cup by agitating the same by hand, or by means of a spring or handle connected with the cup or handle and adapted when released to strike the ball and displace it from the cup so that when it is again caught in the cup it will assume a different position.

My improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a side view of a game apparatus embodying my improvements, Fig. 2 is a similar view partly in section, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cup.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a cup provided with a handle 2, and at 3 is a ball, all of which may generally be of well known construction in this class of games or toys, the proportions of the cup and ball with respect to each other being such that a portion of the ball, say for instance, its upper half, will be exposed above the mouth of the'cup while its lower portion will be concealed within the cup. Upon the surface of the ball are interspersed suitable symbols which may be letters of the alphabet, numerals, or both, or pictures of personsfplaces, or things, suited to the game to be played.

In the drawings I have illustrated numerals and letters interspersed on the surface of the ball so that certain of them will be exposed above the upper edge 3* of the cup while the ball is in the cup and the remainder of the numerals and letters will be hidden from view below the said edge of the cup. The ball 3 may be tossed from the cup and again caught therein by suddenly lifting and depressing the cup, whereby the agitation of the ball will cause it to assume a new position in the cup, thereby exposing different symbols above the cup from those last exposed. Means may also be provided for dislodging the ball from the cup at intervals to cause it to assume different positions therein without agitating the cup for the purpose, and to this end I have shown a spring or handle 4 that is attached to the cup, as by rivet 5 and extends through a slot 2 in the handle under the cup and in line with an opening 3 in the bottom of the cup so that the ball when resting in the cup will have a portion in line with said opening to be struck by the spring or handle 4, and in order that the spring or handle may conveniently engage the ball said spring or handle may have a bent or projecting portion, at 4, adapted to pass into or through the opening 3 of the cup to strike the ball. With this arrangement when the ball is in the cup and thespring pushed down by the thumb or finger, as in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and then released it will suddenly strike the ball, and cause the latter to rise within or from the cup, and thereby when the ball again descends into the cup it will assume a new position therein, thereby presenting previously exposed to view. A game may be played with my improvements by selecting letters, numerals, or other symbols that are exposed to view on the ball, then agitating the ball so that it will assume a new position to expose other symbols which will be added to or subtracted from those previously selected, and so on, whereby words, phrases, numbers, pictures, events etc., may be tabulated or memorized according to the successive symbols exposed to view on the ball. Other ways of playing games with my improvements may also be carried out as may be selected.

The style of symbols placed upon the ball and the particular shape or form and arrangement of the agitator, such as the spring or handle 4, may be changed without departing from the spirit of my invention, as the spring or handle 4 may be attached to the cup or to the handle carried by the cup, and by the term carried by the cup I mean that the spring can be carried either by the handle or the cup, and the cup and ball with the agitator 4, but without symbols on the ball, may be used, as by children, for causing the ball to jump above the cup by the action of the agitator.

1. A game apparatus comprising a cup and ball arranged to have a portion of the ball exposed to view above the cup and a portion concealed by the cup, said ball having dissimilar symbols displayed upon its surface, whereby certain of said symbols will be exposed to viewin one position of the ball and other symbols in another position of the ball.

2. A game apparatus comprising 113C111), and ball arranged to expose to View a portion of the ball above the cup and conceal the remainder of the ball within the cup, said ball having letters of the alphabet interspersed upon its surface, whereby certain of said letters will be exposed to view in one position of the ball and other letters in another position of the ball.

3. A game apparatus comprising a cup and ball arranged to expose to view a portion of the ball above the cup and conceal the remainder of the ball within the cup, said ball having letters of the alphabet and numerals interspersed upon its surface, whereby certain of said letabove the edge of the cup symbols differing from those Having now described my invention what I claim ters and numerals will be exposed to View in one position I jecting portion to enter said opening, and a hall adapted of the ball and other letters and numerals in another position of the ball.

4. A game apparatus comprising a cup and ball, the ball having symbols interspersed upon its surface whereby certain of the symbols will be exposed to view in one position of the ball and other symbols will be exposed to view in a different position of the ball, and an agitator carried by the cup and adapted when projected to strike the ball to change the position of the ball within the cup to expose different symbols to View.

5. A device of the character described comprising a cup provided with an opening and having a handle provided with a bore and slotted, a spring carried by the cup and passing through the slot of the handle and having a pr0- to fit the cup and to be engaged by the projection of the spring when snapped in said opening.

(3. A device of the character described comprising a cup provided with a handle and having an opening. a spring carried by the cup and extending in line with said opening, and a ball to fit the cup and extend over said opening to be engaged by said spring the handle having an opening in its side through which said spring passes in position to be operated.

JOHN 1. )lYl'llt.

Witnesses I. ll. S'rnrnnNs, l). C. Lmoo. 

